The answer is the show wasn't eligible for awards this year, because it aired after the cutoff date for qualifying Emmy entrants.

This year, "Game of Thrones" premiered on Sunday, July 16, about three months later than it usually does, and the deadline for 2017 Emmy consideration is May 31.

And that's all because winter finally arrived on season seven. The production had to be moved up in order to film in the colder months that were so important to the setting and storytelling for season seven.

"Now that winter has arrived on 'Game of Thrones,' executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss felt that the storylines of the next season would be better served by starting production a little later than usual, when the weather is changing," HBO programming president Casey Bloys said in a statement last summer. "Instead of the show's traditional spring debut, we're moving the debut to summer to accommodate the shooting schedule."

So basically, the show won't be eligible for the Emmys again until 2018.

But the competition should really be pleased about the show bowing out this year. Last year, "Game of Thrones" dominated the awards show and broke a major record. With 38 statues won, "Thrones" has the most Emmy wins by an individual show. It dethroned NBC comedy "Frasier," which held the record with 37 awards.